AFRICAN  COLONIZATION 


^•IST  ADDEESS 

DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 

AMERICAN  COLONIZATION  SOCIETY, 

IN  WASHINGTON,  D.C., 

«T -A.3STTT -A.TT.~2"  19,  1875. 


y/ 

BY  REAr.  JOHN  ORCUTT,  D.  D. 

OF  NEW  YORK. 


NEW  YORK. 


ADDRESS. 


No  person  well-informed  on  the  subject,  will  call  in 
question  either  the  motives  or  the  good  sense  of  the 
founders  of  the  institution  whose  anniversary  we  cele- 
brate to-night.  The  evidence  is  too  clear  to  admit  of  a 
rational  doubt  that  they  acted  under  the  impulse  of  a 
broad  philanthropy  and  in  the  light  of  a sound  philoso- 
phy, and  also  in  accordance  with  a decree  of  Heaven. 

The  truth  of  this  proposition  I propose  to  illustrate 
and  enforce. 

And  the  first  question  demanding  attention  is,  What 
were  the  views  and  aims  of  those  honored  men  who 
founded  this  Society  ? 

Those  of  Rev.  Robert  Finley  of  New  Jersey,  the 
leading  spirit  among  them,  are  clearly  stated  in  a letter 
addressed  to  his  friend,  John  P.  Mumford,  Esq.,  of  the 
city  of  New  York,  about  two  years  before  the  Society 
was  organized.  He  wrote  thus  : 

“The  loDger  I live  to  see  the  wretchedness  of  men, 
the  more  I admire  the  virtue  of  those  who  devise  and 
with  patience  labor  to  execute  plans  for  the  relief  of  the 
wretched.  On  this  subject  the  state  of  the  free  blacks 


4 


ADDRESS. 


has  very  much  occupied  my  miud.  Their  number  in- 
creases greatly,  and  their  wretchedness  too,  as  appears 
to  me.  Everything  connected  with  their  condition,  in- 
cluding their  color,  is  against  them  ; nor  is  there  much 
prospect  that  their  state  can  ever  be  greatly  meliorated 
while  they  continue  among  us.  Could  not  the  rich  and 
benevolent  devise  means  to  form  a colony  on  some  part 
of  the  coast  of  Africa,  similar  to  the  one  at  Sierra  Leone, 
which  might  gradually  induce  many  free  blacks  to  go  and 
, settle — devising  for  them  the  means  of  getting  there,  and 
of  protection  and  support  till  they  were  established  ?” 
And  as  one  of  the  benefits  of  such  a colony,  he  mentioned 
its  civilizing  and  Christianizing  influence  upon  Africa. 

Early  in  December,  1816,  Dr.  Finley  visited  Wash- 
ington for  sympathy  and  support  in  his  undertaking — 
hoping  that  it  might  be  made  an  object  of  national  con- 
cern. By  some  it  was  received  with  favor  ; by  others  it 
was  ridiculed.  But  true  to  his  convictions  and  firm  in 
his  purpose,  he  persevered  in  his  efforts,  meekly  answer- 
ing the  skeptic  with  the  remark,  “ I know  this  scheme  is 
from  God.’’  And  on  the  21st  of  December  of  that  year, 
fifty-eight  years  ago  last  month,  a public  meeting  was 
held  in  this  city  to  consider  the  matter,  with  Hon.  Henry 
Clay  in  the  chair,  and  other  prominent  men  in  attend- 
ance, such  as  Elias  B.  Caldwell,  Dr.  Finley’s  brother-in- 
law,  John  Bandolph  of  Roanoke,  and  Robert  Wright  of 
Maryland. 

Mr.  Clay  made  the  opening  address,  in  which  he 
heartily  endorsed  the  plan  of  colonizing  the  free  people 


ADDRESS. 


5 

of  color  in  Africa.  Said  he:  “There  is  a peculiar,  a 
moral  litness  in  restoring  them  to  the  land  of  their  fa- 
thers. And  if,  instead  of  the  evils  and  sufferings  which 
we  have  been  the  innocent  cause  of  inflicting  upon  the 
inhabitants  of  Africa,  we  can  transmit  to  her  the  bless- 
ings of  our  arts,  our  civilization,  and  our  religion,  may 
we  not  hope  that  America  will  extinguish  a great  por- 
tion of  that  moral  debt  which  she  has  contracted  to  that 
unfortunate  continent?” 

Mr.  Caldwell  followed  in  the  same  line  of  remark. 
After  giving  other  reasons  in  favor  of  the  proposed  col- 
ony, he  continued:  “But  I have  a greater  and  nobler 
object  in  view  in  desiring  them  to  be  placed  in  Africa. 
It  is  the  belief  that  through  them  civilization  and  the 
Christian  religion  would  thereby  be  introduced  into  that 
benighted  quarter  of  the  world.  It  is  the  hope  of  re- 
deeming many  millions  of  people  from  the  lowest  state 
of  superstition  and  ignorance,  and  restoring  them  to  the 
knowledge  and  worship  of  the  true  God.  Great  and 
powerful  as  are  the  other  motives  to  this  measure  (and 
I acknowledge  them  to  be  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  at- 
tract the  attention  and  to  call  forth  the  united  efforts  of 
this  nation)  in  my  opinion — and  you  will  find  it  the 
opinion  of  a large  class  of  the  community — all  other  mo- 
tives are  small  and  trifling  compared  with  the  hope  of 

spreading  among  them  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel 

Whatever  may  be  the  difference  of  opinion  among  the 
different  denominations  of  Christians,  I believe  they  will 
all  be  found  to  unite  in  the  belief  that  the  Scriptures 


6 


ADDRESS. 


predict  a time  when  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  shall  be 
spread  over  every  part  of  the  world,  shall  be  acknowl- 
edged by  every  nation,  and  perhaps  shall  influence  every 
heart.”  Other  gentlemen  present  arose  and  endorsed 
the  plan. 

Such,  then,  were  the  views  and  aims  of  the  imme- 
diate founders  of  this  Society,  as  expressed  just  one 
week  prior  to  the  adoption  of  its  Constitution,  Dec.  28, 
1810.  On  the  following  Wednesday,  Jan.  1,  1817,  it 
held  its  first  meeting,  and  was  fully  organized  by  the 
election  of  officers,  Hon.  Bushrod  Washington  being- 
made  president,  and  Elias  B.  Caldwell,  secretary.  En- 
rolled .among  its  vice-presidents  we  find  the  immortal 
name  of  Robert  Finley  of  New  Jersey,  who  lived  to  en- 
joy the  gratifying  success  with  which  his  efforts  had  been 
crowned  only  a few  months,  for  his  earthly  labors  were 
closed  by  death  in  October  of  the  same  year. 

Two  weeks  after  the  formation  of  the  Society,  its 
President  and  Board  of  Managers  presented  a memorial 
to  Congress  containing  these  words:  “If  the  experiment, 
in  its  more  remote  consequences,  should  ultimately  tend 
to  the  diffusion  of  similar  blessings  through  those  vast 
and  unnumbered  tribes  yet  obscured  in  primeval  dark- 
ness, reclaim  the  rude  wanderer  from  a life  of  wretched- 
ness to  civilization  and  humanity,  and  convert  the  blind 
idolator  from  gross  and  abject  superstitions  to  the  holy 
charities,  the  sublime  morality  and  humanizing  discipline 
of  the  Gospel,  the  nation  or  the  individual  that  shall 
have  taken  the  most  conspicuous  lead  in  achieving  the 


ADDRESS. 


benevolent  enterprise,  will  have  raised  a monument  of 
that  true  and  imperishable  glory  founded  in  the  moral 
approbation  and  gratitude  of  the  human  race,  unap- 
proachable to  all  but  the  elected  instruments  of  divine 
beneficence.” 

This  memorial  in  the  House  of  Representatives  was 
referred  to  an  able  committee,  from  whose  report  we 
(piote  as  follows : “It  seems  manifest  that  these  people 
cannot  be  colonized  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States. 
If  they  were  not  far  distant,  the  rapidly-extending  set- 
tlements of  our  white  population  would  soon  reach  them, 
and  the  evil  now  felt  would  be  renewed,  probably  with 
aggravated  mischief.  Were  the  colony  to  be  remote,  it 
must  be  planted  on  lands  now  occupied  by  the  native 
tribes  of  the  country  ; and  could  a territory  be  pur- 
chased, the  transportation  of  the  colonists  thither  would 
be  vastly  expensive,  their  subsistence  for  a time  difficult, 
and  a body  of  troops  would  be  required  for  their  protec- 
tion. And  after  all,  should  these  difficulties  be  over- 
come, the  original  evil  would  at  length  recur  by  the  ex- 
tension of  our  white  population Turning  our  eyes 

from  our  own  country,  no  other  adapted  to  the  colony 
in  contemplation  presented  itself  to  our  view  nearer 
than  Africa,  the  native  land  of  negroes  ; and  probably 
that  is  the  only  country  on  the  globe  to  which  it  would 
be  practicable  to  transfer  our  free  people  of  color  with 
safety  and  advantage  to  themselves  and  the  civilized 
world.  It  is  the  country  which,  in  the  order  of  Provi- 
dence, seems  to  have  been  appropriated  to  that  distinct. 


8 


ADDRESS. 


family  of  mankind.  And  while  it  presents  the  fittest 
asylum  for  the  free  people  of  color,  it  opens  a wide  field 
for  their  improvement  in  civilization,  morals,  and  reli- 
gion, which  the  humane  and  enlightened  memorialists 
have  conceived  it  possible  in  process  of  time  to  spread 
on  that  great  continent.” 

It  would  be  easy  and  very  pleasant  to  recite  here  a 
long  list  of  distinguished  names  of  the  early  endorsers  of 
the  plan  ; but  suffice  it  to  say,  among  them  we  find  the 
names  of  Chief- Justice  Marshall , General  Lafayette , Bishop 
Meade , and  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander.  The  latter  of  these, 
in  his  introduction  to  his  history  of  African  colonization, 
said:  “As  for  himself,  the  writer  is  as  fully  persuaded 
. that  the  plan  of  colonizing  the  free  people  of  color  in 
Africa  is  wise  and  benevolent,  as  he  ever  was  of  the 
wisdom  and  benevolence  of  any  human  enterprise.”  We 
are  here  on  this  occasion  to  adopt  and  defend  this  senti- 
ment. 

We  belong  to  that  Christian  brotherhood  referred  to 
by  Elias  B.  Caldwell,  who  believe  in  the  final  triumph  of 
Christian  civilization  in  every  land  and  in  every  clime. 
We  accept  this  as  a truth  revealed  in  the  Scriptures. 

But  there  is  another  volume  given  us  for  our  instruc- 
tion on  the  subject.  A thoughtful  Christian  scholar  once 
made  this  remark:  “God  is  a preacher;  the  principles 
of  his  moral  government  are  his  text,  the  Bible  his  ser- 
mon, and  Providence  the  application.” 

Now  light,  greatly  needed  in  this  matter,  is  not  to  be 
found  in  the  sermon  as  stated,  but  in  the  application  ; not 


ADDRESS. 


9 


iii  the  Bible,  but  in  the  book  of  Providence.  Let  us  then 
study  and  profit  by  the  lessons  thus  set  before  us. 

It  is  a historic  fact,  which  no  one  is  disposed  to  deny, 
that  Christian  civilization  began  its  march  in  Asia;  and 
after  permeating  the  most  of  that  continent  with  its  recu- 
perative influences,  passed  into  Europe  with  similar  re- 
sults ; thence  across  the  Atlantic,  and  westward  still,  till 
it  has,  in  our  day,  reached  the  Pacific  ocean,  keeping 
itself  within  the  limits  of  that  belt  of  the  earth  called  the 
Northern  Temperate  Zone. 

It  is  true  that  the  northern  part  of  Africa  was  illu- 
minated by  the  burning  altar  of  Christianity  for  three 
hundred  years  ; that  Egypt  and  Carthage  were  once 
highly  civilized  ; but  it  has  been  well  said,  as  Egypt 
derived  its  ideas  from  Asiatic  sources,  its  place  in  his- 
tory is  Asiatic,  rather  than  African  ; and  Carthage  be- 
ing Phoenician,  when  those  two  cities  were  absorbed  into 
Rome,  North  Africa  belonged  much  more  to  the  Euro- 
pean than  to  the  properly  African  quarter  of  the  globe. 
And  it  is  worthy  of  note,  that  the  portion  of  Africa  thus 
enlightened  for  three  centuries,  lies  north  of  the  tropic  of 
Cancer,  i.  e.,  in  the  one  single  zone  upon  which  the  star 
of  empire,  in  its  westward  course,  shed  its  light. 

And  who  were  the  actors  employed  in  planting,  ex- 
tending, and  sustaining  civil  and  Christian  institutions  in 
Asia,  Europe,  and  North  America?  They  were  the 
Egyptian,  the  Assyrian,  the  Babylonian,  the  Persian, 
the  Greek,  the  Macedonian,  the  Roman,  the  Goth,  the 

Frank,  the  Englishman,  and  the  Anglo-American — races 

1* 


10 


ADDRESS. 


constitutionally  fitted  for  the  work  assigned  them  by  the 
very  circumstances  of  their  birth  and  growth.  They 
were  raised  in  the  higher  latitudes,  which  made  their  tis- 
sues compact,  tough,  and  fibrous,  which  gave  them  vigor 
and  the  power  of  endurance.  With  these  and  other 
requisite  endowments,  they  went  forth  in  the  successful 
prosecution  of  their  high  mission  ; and  because  our  lines 
are  fallen  unto  us  in  this  particular  latitude,  we  have 
been  large  partakers  of  its  benefits. 

But  there  is  one  continent  still  buried  in  the  mid- 
night darkness  of  heathenism.  It  lies  down  in  the  inter- 
tropical  regions  alone,  and  yet  within  the  reach  of  the 
covenant-promise  which  the  Father  made  to  the  Son  : 
“ Ask  of  me,  and  I shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine 
inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy 
possession.”  li  Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her  hands 
unto  God.” 

Who  then  shall  be  the  bearers  of  the  promised  bless- 
ing to  the  teeming  millions  on  the  benighted  continent  of 
Africa?  The  importance  of  this  question  will  be  seen 
and  felt  by  every  Christian  mind  just  in  proportion  as 
that  mind  is  informed  in  regard  to  mission  work  in  Af- 
rica, a detailed  account  of  which  would  be  instructive, 
but  the  merest  summary  must  suffice. 

Passing  over  a period  of  some  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years  prior  to  1730,  during  which  the  Romanists  of  dif- 
ferent nations  and  orders  labored  in  vain  to  plant  mis- 
sions on  its  west  coast,  the  first  Protestant  missionarv 
attempts  were  made  by  the  Moravians  in  1736,  and  were 


ADDRESS. 


11 


continued  thirty-four  years  at  the  expense  of  numerous 
lives,  and  little  or  no  good  accomplished.  The  English 
followed,  and  with  similar  results.  Three  stations  plant- 
ed by  the  London,  Edinburgh,  and  Glasgow  Societies  in 
1797,  were  extinct  in  three  years,  and  five  out  of  six 
missionaries  dead.  The  Church  Missionary  Society,  sub- 
sequent to  1808,  established  at  different  points  and  at- 
tempted to  maintain  ten  stations,  but  soon  failed  in  every 
instance. 

To  say  nothing  then  of  the  attempts  and  failures  of 
Itoman-catholics  to  get  a foothold  there  for  centuries,  we 
have  more  than  a hundred  years  of  Protestant  mission- 
ary experiments  with  like  ill  success.  And  why  did 
they  all  fail  ? Why  succeed  in  Asia,  Europe,  and  North 
America,  and  fail  in  Africa?  Because  of  the  unhealthi- 
ness of  the  climate  to  white  men,  and  the  hostility  of  the 
natives  generated  by  the  slavetraders.  The  question 
returns.  How  shall  it  be  done  ? Who  are  the  work- 
men appointed  to  give  Christian  civilization  to  Af- 
rica ? 

/ 

If  we  qan  find  any  of  her  own  children  who  have 
been  brought  into  contact  with  Christian  institutions,  and 
thereby  have  been  elevated  to  a level  on  which  they  are 
at  all  prepared  for  such  a mission,  wre  might  suppose  that 
God  would  send  them.  In  the  light  of  reason  we  might 
think  so  ; for  the  African  has  a tropical  nature,  a sensu- 
ous organization  that  is  suited  to  the  African  climate,  a 
constitution  comparatively  unaffected  by  miasmatic  influ- 
ences, before  which  white  men  fall  like  grass  before  the 


12 


ADDRESS. 


mower’s  scythe.  Besides,  there  is  a manifest  fitness  and 
propriety,  as  Mr.  Clay  said,  in  sending  the  colored  man, 
if  prepared  for  it,  to  enlighten  his  pagan  brethren  in  the 
fatherland. 

Well,  it  is  apparent  that  we  have  some  of  the  race  in 
the  United  States  ; and  we  cannot  doubt  the}r  are  here 
by  an  overruling  Providence  as  really  as  Joseph  was 
made  to  sojourn  in  Egypt  by  an  overruling  Providence, 
God  meaning  it  for  good,  though  Joseph’s  brethren,  in 
their  action  in  the  case,  had  evil  in  their  hearts.  Nor  are 
they  here  heathen  bondmen  as  they  Avere  when  brought 
here,  but  Christian  freemen,  half  a million  of  them  com- 
municants in  the  church  of  God. 

Now  the  question  arises,  Are  these  the  appointed 
workmen  to  go  forth  and  plant  and  sustain  Christian  in- 
stitutions in  that  pagan  land  ? 

It  may  be  said — some  intelligent  persons  do  say  and 
honestly  believe — that  the  African  is  incapable  of  doing 
such  a AArork.  Others  equally  intelligent  and  sincere 
think  differently.  And  what  saith  reason  ? President 
Humphrey  of  Amherst  College,  one  of  the  A\riscst  men 
that  ever  lived,  once  said,  “Every  creature  of  God  is 
capable  of  all  the  civilization  it  needs.”  Let  us  apply 
this  saying  to  the  insect  Avorld. 

The  bee  makes  a beautiful  house.  Is  it  not  entirely 
sufficient  for  all  the  uses  for  which  it  Avas  constructed  ? 
So  in  the  animal  Avorld  ; the  beaver  builds  her  house  as 
if  by  human  reason.  Does  she  need  a better  house? 
The  application  of  the  remark  might  be  extended  to  all 


ADDRESS. 


13 


the  lower  orders  of  creation  for  like  illustrations  of  its 
truthfulness. 

Now,  will  any  intelligent  person  venture  to  assert  that 
the  negro  does  not  need  Christian  civilization — that  it 
would  not  improve  the  race  in  Africa  ? If  not,  how  can 
he  doubt  their  ability  to  sustain  it  ? Whether  they  will 
ever  come  up  to  the  level  of  the  Anglo-Saxons  does  not 
concern  us  ; that  is  a question  for  the  future  to  decide. 
But  are  they  capable  of  self-government  upon  any  plane 
of  national  responsibility  ? To  this  question  reason,  we 
think,  gives  an  affirmative  answer.  Nor  are  we  shut  up 
to  the  mere  light  of  reason  in  the  matter.  We  have  the 
concurrent  testimony  of  facts.  The  experiment  has  been 
successfully  tried  for  nearly  a third  of  a century.  The 
Republic  of  Liberia  is  a standing  monument  of  their 
capability  to  govern  themselves.  Besides,  all  the  great 
powers  of  the  world  have  acknowledged  the  fact  by  for- 
mal recognition  and  international  correspondence.  And 
no  less  a diplomatist  than  Lord  Palmerston  was  pleased 
to  characterize  the  State  Papers  of  President  Roberts  as 
comparing  favorably  with  those  he  received  from  other 
countries.  In  a word,  that  the  government  of  Liberia 
has  been  administered  with  a good  degree  of  wisdom  and 
discretion  is  the  combined  testimony  of  the  civilized 
world. 

We  hesitate  not  to  say,  therefore,  that  the  difficult 
problem  is  solved  ; that  a portion  of  the  appointed  work- 
men for  Africa’s  redemption,  qualified  and  made  ready 
in  this  land,  have  gone  forth  to  the  field  of  their  opera- 


14 


ADDRESS. 


lions,  and'  that,  all  tilings  considered,  they  have  thus  far 
done  their  work  well. 

And  how  did  they  get  over  there  ? Their  destined 
field  of  labor  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and 
to  reach  it  by  a sailing-vessel  required  a voyage  of  five 
thousand  miles  ; and  how  could  they  in  their  condition 
of  poverty  and  dependence  meet  the  expense  of  it?  God 
provided  for  that.  There  is  no  link  wanting  in  the  chain 
of  his  providence  ; and  one  link  in  that  chain  touching 
the  evangelization  of  Africa  evidently  is  the  American 
( 'olonization  Society ; for  it  is  the  free  bridge  over  which 
the  prepared  workmen  could  go,  and  have  gone. 

We  have  hurriedly  followed  the  course  of  the  star 
of  empire  from  Phoenicia  to  Greece,  from  Greece  to 
Rome,  from  Rome  to  Britain,  from  Britain  to  the 
United  States,  and  from  the  United  States,  after  many 
generations  of  delay,  to  Africa,  thus  reaching  the  last 
great  continent  to  be  possessed  and  completing  the  cir- 
cle. Does  not  the  history  of  these  events,  as  presented 
to  us  in  the  book  of  Providence,  suggest  a reason  why 
Africa  should  be  the  last?  Was  it  not  because  the  work- 
men, according  to  the  divine  arrangement,  would  not  be 
sooner  prepared  to  enter  upon  their  mission  ? 

But  it  is  said,  Liberia  is  a failure.  We  hesitate  not 
to  say  that  the  judgment  of  persons  who  thus  speak  of 
our  colonization  work  in  Africa  is  greatly  at  fault  and  of 
little  value.  Because  Liberia  does  not  present  to  their 
vision  everything  desirable,  they  seem  to  view  it  as  con- 


ADDRESS. 


15 

taming  little  or  nothing  valuable.  With  about  as  much 
reason  might  they  regard  the  sun  in  the  heavens  a fail- 
ure because  its  rays  are  sometimes  intercepted  by  clouds, 
or  because  it  does  not  always  shine  with  the  same  brill- 
iancy and  beauty,  or  in  accordance  with  their  wishes  or 
notions. 

While  we  would  not  claim  for  Liberia  American  sun- 
light, we  think  an  obscured  sun  better  than  no  sun,  and 
half  or  quarter  of  a moon  better  than  no  moon,  and  even 
starlight  preferable  to  no  light.  And  we  think  that  can- 
dor demands  of  every  intelligent  person  such  examina- 
tion of  the  subject  as  is  necessary  to  create  the  convic- 
tion that  Liberia  may  justly  be  characterized  as  a bright 
star  in  the  firmament,  if  nothing  more. 

Reflect,  it  is  only  some  sixty  years  since  that  whole 
region  was  darkened  by  heathenism  in  its  worst  forms. 
Now  a civilized  people  is  there  ; the  English  language  is 
there  ; the  mechanic  arts  are  there  ; a growing  com- 
merce is  there  ; a government  with  a written  constitu- 
tion is  there  ; churches  and  Sunday-schools  are  there  ; 
other  schools  and  a college  are  there ; asylums  and  hos- 
pitals for  the  sick  and  needy  are  there  ; five  Missionary 
Boards  in  this  country  have  missions  there  ; connected 
with  those  missions  as  clergymen  and  Christian  work- 
ers, over  one  hundred  and  thirty  of  the  emigrants  sent 
by  this  Society  or  their  children,  are  there  ; all  the 
means  and  appliances  necessary  to  the  growth  and  per.- 
manency  of  a powerful  nation  are  there  ; and  yet  Libe- 
ria is  pronounced  a failure  ! 


1G 


ADDRESS. 


Such  was  not  the  judgment  of  the  Westminster  Review 
even  in  the  earlier  and  darker  days  of  the  colony.  It 
said  : 

“ The  Americans  are  successfully  planting  free  ne- 
groes on  the  coast  of  Africa,  a greater  event  probably 
in  its  consequences  than  any  that  has  occurred  since 
Columbus  set  sail  for  the  New  World.”  Nor  was  such 
the  opinion  of  Theodore  Frelinghuysen  when,  addressing 
the  annual  meeting  of  this  Society  in  the  hall  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  forty-one  years  ago,  he  spoke 
of  Liberia  in  this  language  : “ Like  the  Star  in  the  East, 
which  announced  the  Saviour  to  the  astonished  magi,  it 
points  to  the  advent  of  the  same  Redeemer,  coming  in 
the  power  of  his  Spirit  to  roll  away  the  darkness  of  a 
thousand  generations.  Yes,  sir,  there  is  hope  for  Africa. 
God,  I believe,  is  preparing  his  wa}r  before  him.  The 
harvest  begins  to  ripen,  and  the  slumber  of  ages  will 
soon  be  broken  ; and  those  beams  of  light  that  now  re- 
fresh our  hopes,  will  expand  and  spread  through  the 
heavens,  until  they  shall  be  lost  in  the  splendors  of  an 
eternal  day.” 

African  colonization  a mistake  and  a failure?  No, 
no  ; the  voice  of  history  cries  in  trumpet-tones,  No  ! On 
the  contrary,  as  the  late  lamented  Joseph  Tracy  has 
clearly  shown,  the  attempts  of  Romanists  and  Protes- 
tants, for  a period  of  nearly  four  centuries,  to  sustain 
missions  there  without  colonies , were  signal  failures,  while 
every  attempt  to  introduce  Christianity  and  civilization 
by  colonizing  Africa  with  people  of  African  descent  has 


ADDRESS. 


17 


been,  in  a greater  or  less  degree,  successful.  Every  such 
colony  planted  still  subsists  ; and  wherever  its  jurisdic- 
tion extends  lias  banished  piracy  and  the  slave-trade  ; 
extinguished  domestic  slavery  ; put  an  end  to  human 
sacrifices  and  cannibalism  ; established  a constitutional 
civil  government,  trial  by  jury,  and  the  reign  of  law  ; 
introduced  the  arts,  usages,  and  comforts  of  civilized  life, 
and  imparted  them  to  more  or  less  of  the  natives  ; estab- 
lished schools,  built  houses  of  worship,  gathered  churches, 
sustained  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  protected  mission- 
aries, and  seen  native  converts  received  to  Christian 
communion.  Not  a colony  has  been  attempted  without  lead- 
ing to  all  these  residts.  Yes,  we  can  point  to  Liberia  as  a 
tree  planted  by  this  Society  whose  roots  and  trunk  and 
branches  are  in  their  nature  colonization,  but  by  a divine 
grafting  has  yielded  much  missionary  fruit. 

In  the  great  current  of  events,  of  how  little  impor- 
tance are  the  mistaken  opinions,  the  blind  assertions,  and 
the  opposing  influences  of  a few  or  many  individuals ! 
Like  eddies  in  a mighty  river,  they  only  make  a little 
disturbance  within  the  small  circles  of  their  influence, 
while  the  stream  steadily  and  majestically  rolls  on  as  if 
they  did  not  exist. 

One  point  more  : There  is  a prevailing  impression 
that  in  the  changed  state  of  things  since  the  war  the  work 
of  this  Society  is  no  longer  needed,  or  at  most  is  valua- 
ble simply  and  purely  as  a missionary  association.  If  it 
were  so,  we  might  well  consider  the  question  of  closing 
up  the  concern. 


18 


ADDRESS 


There  is  a principle  involved  in  the  institution,  dis- 
tinctly recognized  by  its  founders,  that  should  not  be 
overlooked  or  forgotten.  We  refer  to  that  affinity  of 
race,  implanted  in  the  human  mind,  which  makes  it  im- 
practicable for  the  white  race  and  the  black  race  in  this 
country  ever  to  dwell  together  upon  terms  of  full  social 
equality.  If  this  element  of  power  in  the  institution 
gave  it  importance  half  a century  ago,  why  does  it  not 
now  ? Is  it  not  as  true  now  as  then  that  because  of  such 
a law  the  highest  destiny  of  the  negro  can  never  be  real- 
ized under  the  shadow  of  the  Anglo-Saxons?  You  may 
call  it  fastidiousness,  foolishness,  wickedness  ; good  sense, 
bad  sense,  or  nonsense,  or  anything  you  please  ; it  is 
something  which  cannot  be  extinguished,  and  which  legis- 
lation cannot  control. 

Possibly  some  one  present  may  be  thinking  of  that 
passage  of  Scripture  so  often  quoted,  “And  hath  made 
of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the 
face  of  the  earth;”  but  why  stop  at  a comma?  why  not 
quote  the  remainder  of  the  verse?  “and' hath  determined 
the  times  before  appointed,  and  the  bounds  of  their  hab- 
itation.” 

Consider,  because  a man  is  a man,  it  does  not  follow 
that  all  men  are  white  men,  or  black  men,  or  red  men. 
A bird  is  a bird,  but  every  bird  is  not  a blackbird,  or  a 
bluebird,  or  a yellowbird ; and  it  would  be  worse  than 
folly  to  try  to  make  it  so.  Nor  have  all  birds  the  same  in- 
stincts and  habits.  One  species  builds  its  nest  upon  the 
sand  ; another  in  a chimney  ; another  on  a tree  ; another  in 


ADDRESS. 


19 


the  clefts  of  the  mountains,  and  so  on  ; just  where  “Mother 
Cary’s  chickens”  in  mid-ocean  make  their  nest,  we  don’t 
feel  called  upon  to  decide.  It  is  sufficient  that  they 
know  where,  and  how,  and  when  to  do  it.  And  some 
birds  are  migratory  in  their  habits,  following  the  sun 
after  a mild  temperature ; while  others  seem  to  have  a 
fondness  for  colder  regions,  and  to  enjoy  even  a snow- 
storm. Now  this  diversity  in  preference  and  habit 
among  the  fowls  of  the  air,  is  but  a manifestation  of  the 
instinctive  laws  of  their  being.  So  is  it  with  other 
orders  of  God’s  creatures ; nor  is  man  an  exception. 
The  great  Father  of  us  all  did  not  make  a mistake  in 
giving  Africa  to  the  black  man,  and  the  black  man  to 
Africa.  It  was  doubtless  for  the  highest  good  of  all 
concerned.  ' 

But,  says  one,  “Are  you  going  to  drive  the  negro 
out  of  the  country?”  No;  we  don’t  propose  either  to 
drive  him  away  or  compel  him  to  stay.  It  is  a matter 
submitted  to  his  own  free  will.  The  language  of  our 
constitution  is,  .“with  their  own  consent.”  They  have 
three  rights  in  the  case : a right  to  go,  and  a right  not  to 
go,  and  a right  to  choose  between  the  two.  But  when 
they  have  deliberately  made  up  their  minds  to  go,  it  be- 
comes a serious  and  important  question,  whether  a moral 
responsibility  does  not  rest  upon  the  individual  and  upon 
the  nation  to  furnish  the  requisite  means. 

As  to  promoting  emigration  by  coercion,  we  would 
say  further,  there  is  a kind  of  force  which  is  manifestly 
justifiable  and  even  commendable.  Take  an  illustration 


20 


ADDRESS. 


of  it.  An  intelligent  colored  man  in  a northern  city, 
recently  remarked  to  a friend  of  mine  residing  there,  “I 
want  to  leave  the  city  and  the  country.’'  “ Why,”  said 
the  white  man,  “don’t  the  people  here  use  you  well?’’ 
“Oh,  yes,”  said  he;  “but  the  effort  they  make  to  use 
me  well,  makes  me  feel  that  I am  a negro.”  Many  a 
black  man,  no  doubt,  has  felt  the  force  of  that  remark 
as  no  white  man  can  feel  it. 

President  Roberts,  who  emigrated  to  Liberia  more 
than  forty  years  ago,  remarked  in  a public  discourse  on 
his  last  visit  to  this  country,  “I  have  no  disposition  to 
urge  my  colored  brethren  to  leave  the  country,  but  as 
for  me,  I could  not  live  in  the  United  States.”  Profes- 
sor Freeman,  of  Liberia  College,  when  on  a visit  a few 
years  ago  to  Pittsburgh,  Penn.,  wlierb  he  had  formerly 
spent  twelve  years  as  a teacher  in  a college  for  the  edu- 
cation of  colored  people,  was  offered  strong  inducements 
to  remain  there  and  resume  his  former  position  in  that 
institution,  which  he  declined ; and  the  Trustees  put  this 
question  to  him,  “What  will  you  stay  for,  Freeman?” 
His  answer  was  in  substance  as  follows:  “I  will  stay, 
gentlemen,  for  what  either  of  you  white  men  would  con- 
sent to  become  a negro  for,  and  live  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  transmit  his  social  status  to  your  children.” 

Such  cases  show  us  how  God  uses  the  incompatibility 
between  the  two  races  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  be- 
nevolent purposes  towards  Africa.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Van 
Rensselaer,  in  a dedicatory  discourse  which  he  delivered 
some  twenty  years  ago,  at  the  opening  of  the  Ashrnun 


ADDRESS. 


21 


Institute  for  the  benefit  of  colored  people,  near  Oxford, 

I 

Pennsylvania,  spoke  thus:  “There  is  a natural  conge- 
niality between  the  blacks  as  blacks,  and  between  the 
whites  as  whites — a congeniality  that  will  assert  its 
claims  in  the  time  of  God’s  demand,  and  operate  to  pro- 
duce sympathy  of  feeling  and  of  action  between  the 
African  population  in  America  and  in  Africa.”  We 
have  seen  something  of  the  fulfilment  of  that  prediction 
already,  and  we  believe  that  same  power  will  continue  to 
work,  and  become  more  and  more  potent  in  proportion 
as  our  colored  people  become  elevated  and  enlightened. 
If  you  want  to  keep  them  here,  keep  them  in  ignorance, 
and  you  will  be  more  likely  to  succeed.  If  you  would 
have  them,  under  God,  fulfil  the  high  mission  of  redeem- 
ing a continent  from  the  thraldom  of  sin  and  death,  pre- 
pare them  for  it,  and  aid  them  in  it. 

No  more  fitting  words  could  be  used,  we  think,  in 
closing,  than  are  contained  in  an  oration  delivered  before 
a literary  society  in  Union  College,  about  ten  years  ago, 
by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  J.  Brecken ridge  of  Ken- 
tucky. 

“I  cannot  tell  but  that  it  may  be  the  will  of  God, 
seeing  he  has  used  first  the  Asiatic  dark  races,  and  then 
the  European  white  races,  as  repositories  of  his  infinite 
gifts  and  mercies  to  mankind,  to  use,  finally,  the  African 
black  races  in  a similar  glorious  way.  But  to  suppose 
that  in  doing  this,  he  will  make  the  black  race  and  the 
white  race  essentially  one,  or  essentially  alike  or  will  strip 
either  of  them  of  its  essential  peculiarities,  which  are  the 


22 


ADDRESS. 


very  basis  of  its  destiny,  high  or  low,  is  to  reverse,  abso- 
lutely, every  lesson  we  can  draw  from  all  that  he  has 
hitherto  said  and  done. 

“The  American  colonies  of  free  blacks  on  the  west 
coast  of  Africa  deserve  to  be  ranked  among  the  highest 
enterprises  of  modern  times.  And  I may  be  allowed,  on 
this  occasion,  to  reiterate  what  I have  taught  so  long, 
that  a powerful  and  civilized  state  within  the  tropics  has 
been  the  one  crying  necessity  of  the  human  race  from 
the  dawn  of  history ; and  that  for  us,  and  for  the  black 
race,  the  creation  of  such  a state  from  the  American 
descendants  of  that  race,  is  the  highest  form  in  which 
that  great  necessity  can  be  supplied.” 


Note. — The  planting  of  Liberia  by  this  Society,  is  the  cheapest 
colonization  work  in  human  history.  The  entire  cost  does  not 
much  exceed  $2,500,000,  while  the  British  government  expended 
upon  Sierra  Leone,  during  the  first  half  century  of  its  existence, 
more  than  $30,000,000. 


